St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-25
some LADIES WHO LIVE.
Four. Sweet Maidens With Limbs and
Waists of the Grace of
Amazons.
Natures Bold Curves Encouraged by
the Calisthenics of the Breath
ing Club.
A Quartette of Minneapolis Dianas aud
E0W Their Leisure Hours Are
Employed.

young laQleS, ornaments TO the best Min
neapolis society, who have formed a
club exceedingly novel in character,
Whose conlmendable object is to court
Health and all the pleasures of her train
and at the same time to while away q
stray hour or two daily. The members
of the Breathing club" as they call it,
meet regularly at $50 a. m. at the ele-
CANT home of one of their number and
vigorously put themselves through a
rigid course of training. Not long since,
when lamenting the present dearth of
gossip to Miss B., she took pity on my
fOrlOrn condition and confdentially ini-
parted to me the above, and gave me
cordial invitation to call and investigate
for myself.
Riding, lawn-tennis, fencing and ten
pin clubs had known of before, but at
the mention of breathing society my
curiosity, of which / possess large
bump, was aroused, SO L donned nv
most taking fouT-in-hand and proceeded
early one bright morning of last week
to a handsome residence on Park ave
hue. where | was ushered into wait
ing room. My mission made known,
modest maid conducted me to the
third story through long passageway,
where she tapped on an oaken door.
Instantly a sweet voice called, aft a
friend entrez, so Iopened the door and
entered the 'Sanctum SanctOrum.'
A formal introduction then followed,
after which Miss b. motioned Inc. to a
chair, and / fell to taking notes mentally
of my surroundings. The room, which
was large and airy, was curiousiy fitted
up. 1t contained mahogany commOde,
on which were various toilet articles;
velvet divan and several easy chairs.
Oriental rugs relieved the polished
oaken floor and an etching and one or
two fine engravingS adorned the walls.
One side of the room was wainscoted
to the ceiling in oak, and here hung
Indian clubs, dumb-bells, All old flint
lock Of Revolutionary times, a brass
warming-pan and very old clock, the
latter all heirloomS of the family, while
stuffed birds peered out from behind the
curiosities. On small bookcase com
tanning English authors rested fine
miniature of the .Venus de Milo.,,
Portieres separated greenroom from
the main room, across one end of which
was extended a platform, and on it stood
my four friends ready tor work.
In the greenroom every article of
street wear had been discarded, and
i'll their place were worn loose combi-
nation enlargement of flannel, a
blouse waist of soft, pale blue material
cut V-shaped and filled in with folds of
yellow China silk, thus affording full
play for the vocal organs; Killed skirt
just reaching to the knees and buttoned
securely to the blouse belt; close-fitting
knee trousers of blue velvet, silk hose
and yellow kid sandals. while graceful
sash and cOquettish little turban of the
yellow silk completed this piquante at
tire. On the left breast was worn
blue silk badge enameled in gold with a
representation of Venus, with the let.
tiers Y. l.. B. G. below, which signify
Young Ladies' Breathing club
How comfortable they looked mot a
garment, not stay interfered with the
tarthest extension of the Diaphragm
At the signal from Mary L, who is.
an expert at calisthenics, they inhale
deeply and exhale slowly. at the same
time pounding the chest and swinging
the arms, up and down and through ALI
manner of unheard of gyrations. In
fact their motions became so intricate
that almost lost my own breath. This
they continued for half an hour until
their cheeks glowed like the dawn. The
next fifteen minutes were devoted to
respiration and practice with dumb-;
bells, which they followed by exlaling
the breath in unison in the expression
of vowel sounds. Their breathing ca
pacity is simply wonderful and the
practice is especially beneficial to the:
elocutioniSt. L was entertained by re-.
citals of Shakespeare and the best poats, !
for in this way the monOtony is varied
and they have a jolly time. Occasion
! ally they give private theatrialS fur. the
benefit of their lady friends. BY the
way. l am to report the next;
q hnr fhn
a cute little blonde walked a p
to me: sank gracefully into an adjacent
chair, and as she pushed back refract-.
DRY pompadour and tapped the floor
caressingly With her dainty foot. said:
''When left off corsets and tooksa
good, long breath felt faint and every
thing turned black before my eyes, but
now each inspiration is like an infusion
of nectar. | did not know what good
health was before. You men never can.
realize what walled-in creatures
we women are. but four, at least, are
forever emancipated from this sort of
slavery" 1.-The majority of women"
interposed dignified girls, land not
the tight lacerS either, say their clothes
are loose and comfortable but neverthe-.
less not one woman in ten breathes as
she ought. To prove this, let them
measure their waist expanded and lln-
confined by clothing and their measure
with the best dress on, and compare the.
difference
In connection with the exercise cold
water bath, to which has been added a
handful of coarse salt, is taken each
| morning and followed by a vigorous.
| rubbing with turkish towel
They are all very enthusiastic about
their society, and if bright eyes, ROSY
| commissions and buOyant stems nr0yc
tanning success. And really, l had al
| ways thought Miss B-a very fine girl,
but in that jaunty costume she was SO
| hewitching as to be perfectly irresist-
lille. CORNELIUS,